I was craving pasta so I decided to make a batch of spaghetti and meatballs. I used leftover roasted garlic and basil marinara sauce that I had in the freezer to make this meal extra simple to make. The meatballs turned out really moist and tender and were a huge hit with all of us, especially my daughter. If you don't feel like making your own marinara, your favorite jar of sauce would work great too. This meal was fast and simple to make and perfect for the cool rainy day we were having.
Put the onions, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms in a food processor to chop, otherwise chop them as small as you can. Combine the meat, mushroom mixture, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, basil, fennel seed, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then mix together gently. Form into small meatballs and set aside.
Once the meatballs are prepared. Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Cook the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Remove from skillet and place the cooked meatballs in the roasted garlic and basil marinara. Simmer the meatballs in the marinara for 30 minutes.
Cook the spaghetti per instructions. Serve the spaghetti with the sauce and meatballs on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Enjoy.
I have loved every cheese that I received from Ile De France and I couldn't wait to try the herb goat cheese. I decided to make a simple salad with a light vinaigrette to showcase the creamy texture of the goat cheese as well as the wonderful herb flavor . I recently bought some wildflower honey vinegar from the farmer's market and decided to use it to make a simple vinaigrette to go with the salad. The combination of flavors and textures from the creamy and flavorful goat cheese and this vinaigrette were amazing together. I can't wait to make this salad again for lunch tomorrow.
Mix all of the ingredients together and whisk until well combined. Let the dressing sit for at least 1 hour so the flavors have time to mingle. 
Mix the dressing well then drizzle over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Spread one slice of avocado on the bottom of the bagel thin. Next add the turkey, spinach, cheese, tomato slices, the remaining avocado slices, and red onion slices. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then add the top of the bagel. Enjoy.
I love getting samples of goods in the mail from different companies, especially when they send me cheese! I was sent 4 different cheeses from Ile De France. I thought about all the different recipes I could make using the Brie, but in the end, we had friends come over for dinner so I decided to serve the Brie with crisp crostini and grapes. The cheese was subtle in flavor and very creamy in texture it was paired perfectly with the crunchy bread and the sweet grapes. We all really loved this cheese. 
On a side note:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a pie dish with cooking spray. Peel then shred the two potatoes onto 2 paper towels; add another two paper towels to the top and press all the liquid out of the potatoes. Smash the shredded potatoes all over the bottom and sides of the pie pan, making sure to press them firmly. Spray with cooking spray and season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder, to taste. Bake in the oven for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Sprinkle the diced tomato, spinach, red onion, and half of the feta cheese on top of the potatoes Beat the eggs with the milk and season with dill, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Pour the egg mixture on top of the veggies then top with the remaining feta cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the quiche comes out clean - don't overcook. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Enjoy.
